Tag: Jesus
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The Doctrine of Hellfire (ECT) May Contribute to Religious OCD
The doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) in Hellfire has long been a cornerstone of many fundamentalist Catholic and Protestant traditions. It posits that those who fail to meet specific religious or moral standards will face perpetual, conscious torment in hell. While this doctrine has been used as a motivator for religious obedience, its psychological…
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This is What “Every Knee Will Bow, Every Tongue Confess” Means
In the narrative of Christian theology, Satan represents the principal adversary, actively working to lead humanity away from God by trying to convince us He can’t be trusted. Yet, if we accept that God’s attributes surpass any of His creations, including Satan, then the Devil’s power to deceive and corrupt is ultimately temporary and inferior…
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Justice in the Ancient Near East
As humans, we have the tendency to be overly judgmental due to a combination of psychological, religious, and social factors. However, the ability to quickly assess situations and people was always crucial for survival and social cohesion. Psychologically, judgment helps simplify the complexity of human behavior and social interactions, providing a sense of control and…
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The Doctrine of Hellfire: The Devastating Psychological Effects
This is a short testimony I came across on YouTube from a woman who grew up in what seems a conservative, fundamental Christian home: When I was 6 or 7, I burned my hand and it was excruciating. My mother took the opportunity to say, “Imagine if that feeling was all over your entire body?…
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What is the Lake of Fire, Sulfur and Smoke in the Book of Revelation?
Very little in the book of Revelation could be interpreted literally. While it is crucial to read and study the book thoroughly, appreciating its language, imagery, and themes, it is equally important to recognize the book’s genre and that almost every element in Revelation is steeped in references to Hebrew Scriptures, first-century culture, and Roman…
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To Be Blotted Out of the Book of Life? (Revelation 3:5)
Revelation is a book steeped in symbolism and metaphor, written in the apocalyptic genre. It features descriptions of beasts, dragons, flying horses, and other imagery that first-century readers would not have interpreted literally. The apocalyptic genre is characterized by vivid imagery and symbolic language meant to convey deeper spiritual truths rather than literal descriptions. Revelation…
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Fear God Who Could Throw You Into Hell?! (Matthew 10:28)
“Then Jesus took the teenage girl and threw her into the fire. As he watched her scream in the flames, he said unto her, ‘Your parents warned you, but you did not listen!’” (Matthew 10:28, according to Calvinism) Sounds too harsh? Sadly, this is exactly how many Christians today read Matthew 10:28: “What Scripture tells…
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What are the “Gates of Hell” (Matthew 16:18)?
Matthew 16 is where Jesus finally introduces the concept of his death and resurrection to his disciples. In verse 18, Jesus declares something that confused many: And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18 This…
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“Lord Lord….”, “I Never Knew You. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23)
There are two kinds of “Christianity.” One is a religion that, on paper, intellectually adheres to all the correct theological recipes and doctrines about Jesus’ Lordship and Divinity. The other is a way of life—represented by the kingdom of heaven—embodied by Christ-like individuals who live out the values Jesus taught and demonstrated. These values include…
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Aren’t we “Born Again” to Avoid Hellfire?
Evangelicals, commonly self-identified as “Born-again Evangelicals,” generally interpret “born again” as a profound experience of repentance and faith in Jesus’s sacrifice for sins. This experience is often specific, memorable, and pivotal to their personal testimony. These experiences, usually emotionally charged, can look like reciting a “salvation prayer” from a pamphlet in order to escape eternal…
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What is the “Unquenchable Fire”?
When the Western mind encounters the word “fire,” it often conjures images of witches being burned at the stake, nuclear bombs, or Dante’s depictions of individuals tormented by flames, which has significantly influenced Western Christian theology. However, in the Bible, Judaism, and other ancient civilizations, fire, though potentially painful, primarily symbolized purification. In ancient agricultural…
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What are “Outer Darkness” and “Gnashing of Teeth”?
When these metaphors are taken literally and out of context, their imagery might appear quite terrifying, akin to a vivid depiction of the Augustinian-Calvinist hellfire: But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12 They will throw them into the…
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Is the Parable of the Sheep & Goats About Hell? (Matthew 25:31-46)
Jesus presents three parables in Matthew 25: The Parable of the Ten Virgins (verses 1-13), The Parable of the Bags of Gold (verses 14-28), and the one we focus on today, The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (verses 31-46). Some, Augustine himself included, interpret a section of this parable (verses 41-46) as evidence allegedly…
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Does a Sin Against an Infinite God Merit Infinite Punishment?
Once upon a time, a naïve couple lived in blissful ignorance, unaware of their own lack of knowledge. Then, a cunning, malevolent figure exploited their innocence, convincing them they could become all-knowing, just like God. Seduced by this idea, they ate from the Tree of Knowledge, which opened their eyes to the vast world of…
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Calvinism’s “God Can’t Stand You” Theology Debunked
An article titled, “Why do I face the consequences of Adam’s sin when I did not eat the fruit?” on the popular Reformed website “GotQuestions” reads: The Bible says, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). It…
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The Doctrine of ‘Hell’ in Early Christianity
The understanding of hell has varied significantly throughout Christian history, reflecting differing theological frameworks across the early church. While views on the afterlife, especially hell, appear to have been underdeveloped during the early days of the church, below are some noteworthy statements from key figures in early Christianity that merit consideration. But first, it is…
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‘Repentance,’ ‘Salvation,’ and ‘Hell’ from a Jewish Perspective
This article will explore the concepts of ‘repentance,’ ‘salvation,’ and ‘hell,’ examining their interconnections from the perspective of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish thought. Repentance In certain conservative Christian traditions, such as Calvinism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, Messianic Judaism (a small Evangelical Fundamentalist group I used to be associated with), and several others, a direct link is…
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The Hisorical Meaning of the Word ‘Hell’
The English word “hell” originates from the Old English “Hel” or “Helle,” which was derived from the Proto-Germanic term “haljō.” This term generally referred to an underworld or a hidden place. “Haljō” is also related to the Old Norse word “Hel,” which referred both to the underworld—a realm of the dead—and the goddess who ruled…
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Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16): Jewish Perspective
In the Bible, the term “Abraham’s Bosom” (sometimes translated as “Abraham’s side”) is a unique expression found only once. In Jewish tradition, however, “Abraham’s Bosom” is a well-known metaphor (e.g., Apocalypse of Zephaniah 11:1-2; Kiddushin 72b; Genesis Rabba 67), not regarded as a literal place or as a historical account of events but a metaphor for…